Mills River hears update from Blue Ridge Community College

By Leigh KelleyTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 9:47 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 9:47 p.m.

MILLS RIVER — An increasing emphasis on workforce training to meet the needs of area industries is where the future of Blue Ridge Community College lies over the next five to 10 years, President Molly Parkhill said during a Mills River Town Council meeting Thursday.

A presentation on what the school is doing highlighted the council’s bi-monthly meeting. The college has already invested nearly $1 million in equipment for its Mechatronics and Manufacturing Technology programs, Parkhill said. Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering and computer engineering.

BRCC is also in the middle of performing due diligence with regard to exploring options for a new Advanced Manufacturing Center, Parkhill told council members. The idea behind the Advanced Manufacturing Center is to create a simulated factory floor with interdisciplinary instruction in mechatronics and manufacturing technology, welding, machining and design programs in a modular open-entry, instructor-assisted format.

The college has consulted with an architect firm about possibly renovating an existing building on one of three possible sites along Highway 280 in the Mills River/Fletcher area, in addition to crunching some numbers if the board decided it wanted to build a brand new building for the center.

“Our focus needs to be on workforce development — this is what businesses and industry has been telling us,” Parkhill said, adding that BRCC expects to begin training soon for new employees hired to work at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Parkhill said the college is currently soliciting feedback from its partners, including students, faculty, industry and local government, about major initiatives BRCC should address in the next five to six years to ensure the college is fulfilling its mission.

She encouraged council members to respond by completing a questionnaire she handed out during the meeting.

In other business, the council:

• Approved authorizing Town Manager Jaime Laughter to sign a contract for landscaping services for the Town Hall and park. Pressley Landscaping of Flat Rock was the low bidder at $10,500, Laughter said.

• Authorized the continuance of the town’s existing contract with Lemon Tree Professional Cleaning Services for 60 more days before awarding a new contract for cleaning services.

Reach Kelley at 828-694-7871 or leigh.kelley@blueridgenow.com.

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